hells_half_acre | Entries tagged with vancon2014

On Monday, I drove around with some friends to visit locations that the show has used, and then in the evening I attended the VFX NonCon. The VFX NonCon was once again held at the Stormcrow Tavern near my house. I got a ticket for the second sitting.

Because it was the Monday after VanCon and because I wanted to drink, I didn't take notes. So, there won't be any in-depth summary, just pictures...

The other thing you need to know is that I accidentally "permanently" deleted all my photos from Monday (because sometimes I'm an idiot). Thankfully, file-recovery software exists. I was able to get most of the photos back, but some were corrupted or unrecoverable.

Locations:

( pictures! )

VFX Non Con:

( awesomesauce )

For me, VanCon never really feels like it's over until Monday night. Even though the events that I do on Monday aren't actually associated with the Con at all... still, they're always still fangirl activities.

Sunday is J2 day at VanCon and it's therefore the most crowded day, but also the day with the biggest breaks - if you don't have any photo-ops, that is. By Sunday, you are also absolutely exhausted and staying awake by sheer force of will. So, I spent most of my breaks staring blankly into the middle-distance and wondering how I was still awake.

I wore make-up on Sunday, not because I was seeing Jared and Jensen, but because I was afraid if I didn't, they'd mistake me for a zombie and go get the shotguns.

Anyway, because it's Sunday, and because it's Jared and Jensen, and because I know someone, inevitably, is going to get a recording of the full panel, my note-taking sometimes suffers... but we'll see what I managed to capture this year...

J2 Gold Panel

( If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. )

Alaina Huffman and Mark Sheppard

( Crowley's a drunken slut. )

Jared and Jensen

( There's a film school? )

Misha Collins (2nd Panel)

( If Dean and Cas were canons?! I'd try to make myself as aerodynamic as possible. )

Autographs

I continued my tradition of just saying "Hello" and "Thank you" to Jensen. In the spirit of my first Con, I told Jared to give my love to his wife. He smiled and said he would. :)

And with that, the Con was over. I went out for some great Korean food at the Red Chicken over on Bute near Robson, and then I headed home....

Saturday started bright and early. So early, in fact, that Richard wasn't around yet, so Rob played host before the first panel. He came out with the band to set up:
Rob *to audience*: Are you ready?!"
Audience: WOO!
*Rob continues to plug in instruments*
Audience: "Are YOU ready?!"
Rob: "Not quite, but we will be!"

Tahmoh Penikett

( Oh my god, this is the end of me and my career )

Before the next panel, Richard appeared in a bathrobe and shades with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, pretending like he had just gotten up.

Osric and Gil

( I don't play characters that get out of situations. )

Matt, Richard, and Rob

( I-am-great-at-procreating. )

Mark Sheppard

( Ooo, aren't we judgmental today! )

Production Panel - Russ Hamilton, Kevin Parks, Adam Glass, Jim Michaels

( Which one is Misha? )

There was a small break here, and I went and had a chocolate martini. It was DELICIOUS and I basically ended up throwing it back like a shot.

My friend Kathleen told me and

katstark a funny conversation that she had with her seatmate during the production panel. I loved it so much, that I told her I'd put it in my report.
- During the panel, when Jim was talking about the 200th episode. He called it "a love letter to the fans"...
Kathleen *to seatmate*: "Maybe the boys finally have sex."
Seatmate: "Yes, that's why it took so long to prep it."
...

katstark: "I wonder how many fingers of Matt Cohen that took."

Then I went back downstairs - on the way, I passed by Kevin and Jill, with their dog Kuma... and proceeded to trip over my own feet in the middle of saying hello to them. *headdesk* Jill was very nice and helped me up and we chatted a bit. I told Kevin how much I loved the panel and that I was so happy they finally had a production panel and I hoped there'd be more of them in the future.

The costume contest was just wrapping up when I got back down to the ballroom. In previous years, they've had Misha come out to judge the castiel's, but I guess he was too busy, because this year Adam from Creation just decided. Ah well. The dude who does Cas really well, and won last year, entered again, and he was great again - but Adam chose more interpretive costumes as the winners... including an entry that looked more like a 1980s female-superhero costume than Castiel, but WHATEVER, it was creative and an elaborate interpretation, so maybe that's what he judged it on... and that dude won last year, so it was good to give someone else a turn to win.

Misha Collins

( I bet I could make you come with one finger )

Autographs

On Saturday, the only autographs included in the gold ticket were Mark Sheppard and Tahmoh. I didn't say anything to Mark, because he spoke first, telling me that I was the second person with my name that he had done an autograph for that night. "With the same spelling?" I asked, "yes." "Wow, that never happens! Oh, uh, thanks!" Seriously though, I've never actually officially met another person with my name, though I know there's a fellow fan with it. She's a huge Misha fangirl and I keep getting confused on the internet, because people talk about how she showed Misha her ass or something alarming sounding, and I will be like "NO, I DIDN'T!!" before I realize a split-second later that they aren't talking about me.

With Tahmoh, I told him that I hoped he got to play a werewolf soon. He told me that "a girlfriend of mine has a show called Bitten," and he's hoping to work with her. I told him I'd keep my eye out for him.

Cabaret

( I would not do this in front of any other crowd. )

Cocktail Party

I think they (and by they, I mean the actors) are trying to slowly dissolve what the cocktail party used to be. I usually don't go to this, as the first two times I went, I was just too spent from the day to enjoy myself. This year, I let a friend drag me there for the first half-hour. The only actors there were Matt, Osric, and Gil, and they made it clear that the party was for the fans to enjoy - drink, dance, mingle...ie: it wasn't about sitting at a table while actors came and sat down for 90 seconds to answer the question of whoever at the table spoke first. The actors didn't stick around for long... they still had the centrepiece competition, but then they pretty much immediately took off.... and so did I.

And thus ended Saturday!

This is the first Con I've been to where they had the house band - "The Electric Waistband" aka Louden Swain. VanCon is a pretty small venue (which will change next year when they move to the Convention Centre), so it's a lot of sound for the room - but it really makes for an instant party atmosphere, which is pretty awesome!

Anyway, let's jump right into the panels....

Host: Richard Speight Jr.

( good-looking, if you're into that kind of thing )

Rob Benedict

( Go back to where you came from. I got this. )

Two Fingers of Matt Cohen

I actually can't remember when this was said, but I think it was before Osric's panel... so that's where I'm putting it. If I'm mistaken, then invision this conversation happening at another time on Friday:

I believe this might have been where they announced that Matt wasn't going to be able to come to Karaoke, because he was working, at which point Rob said that he missed Matt, and his life could always use a little more Matt Cohen in it. Richard joked about decorating the house - "This place needs something... fresh flowers? No... new throw pillows? Nope... oh! Matt Cohen!" and then they got into talking about how MUCH Matt Cohen was a good amount, and Rob responded that he liked "Two fingers of Matt Cohen", meaning to use a whiskey/bourbon measuring technique, but, of course, that statement could have another meaning and that's the one that people ran with for the rest of the Con.

Osric Chau and Lauren Tom

( I can't believe I wanted my own sons to be like you. You're a nincompoop. )

Adam Rose, Dan Payne, and Chad Rook

( Nothing like ending on a Holocaust joke! )

Gil McKenny

( You're going to die, but that's okay. )

Autographs
Only Osric and Adam Rose were included in the Gold ticket. I told Osric that I liked his costume. I asked Adam how he was liking the Con, and he said it was awesome.

Karaoke

I put my name in for a song, but it was a long shot because it's a Canadian classic rather than an American one. So, I wasn't particularly shocked when I was never called.

The actors that were there were all the actors that had given panels that day, except for Dan Payne. Jim Michaels also put in an appearance.

Matt Cohen, as stated previously, couldn't make it, because he was filming a show down in LA. He sent a video from the set with his regrets, and the make-up he was in was a major spoiler for what happens!

His head was bleeding and he had either been shot in the throat or had a tracheotomy

.
There were a LOT of technical problems, unfortunately. Also, some of the words were wrong in the songs.

There was one kid who got up who sang Frank Sinatra's "My Way" - and he was AMAZING. Unfortunately, I didn't get it together to record it until the final verse, but man... I really wanted them to pull him back up on stage at Saturday's Cabaret, but they switched the format of the Cabaret from what I have seen previously, so it wasn't to be. Anyway, the guys name is Matthew Gerard.

Because of the technical problems, they didn't have lyrics, or, at one point, backing tracks... so they asked if anyone could sing A Capella - a girl volunteered to sing Defying Gravity. My friend and I were sure it was going to be a disaster, but we were happily proven wrong and she was also very good! Yay!

Jim came out and talked about how they were starting to film the 200th episode and that they planned, if the numbers stayed up, to beat the Smallville record for most episodes of a genre show.

I ended up leaving during a particularly bad rendition of Thunderstruck, which was the second to last song, I believe... I got home in time to have 4 hours of sleep before I had to be up and heading back downtown for the Saturday panels...

I'm still alive!

It's amazing what not having health problems can do for your energy levels - I remember last year just being completely and utterly fried at this point, but I'm actually okay this year. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sleepy, but still jazzed about having a good time. :)

I REALLY want to write up my reports, but there hasn't been time to even start on Friday yet - maybe tomorrow?

So far the highlights of the Con have been Tahmoh wanting to be a werewolf, the production panel, Matthew Gerard (a fan) singing My Way at karaoke, two fingers of Matt Cohen, and listening to Gil sing...

Tomorrow is J2 and a second Misha panel (I think)... oh! And Alainna and Mark Sheppard panel. :)

My note taking is going well - there was a small set-back today when I totally tripped over my own feet while walking (it MIGHT have had something to do with drinking a chocolate martini like it was water) and hurt my wrist a little. The more embarrassing part was that it happened right when I was saying hello to Kevin Parks and his lovely wife... it was like "Hello! How ar- *faceplant*" Sigh. I'm so smooth.

I also might have found a setting on my camera that yields better photos than previous years, so that's good... except for some reason Misha looks orange. I don't know what's up with that. It's only Misha... I guess maybe he is actually just orange.

Well, I'm all registered at the Con, so that I can sleep in tomorrow. Yay!

As per usual, I'll be taking copious amounts of notes at the Con - I will try to type them up and put them online as soon as possible, but the reports probably won't be getting posted until Monday or Tuesday.

On Monday night, I'm going to the VFX Non-Con as well, so I'll also be typing up a report on that too.

I don't have any photo-ops this year. I really shouldn't have bought a ticket at all, but I wanted to go one more year on Gold, before I gave it up.

Sounds like it was a good year to pick too, because they're changing the venue next year to the Convention Centre - I'm guessing so that they can sell more tickets, which will mean the cheap seats will be even further back.

Anyway, after I registered - I went to go see Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm not going to talk about it indepth, but GOOD MOVIE! I love the soundtrack, because I'm around the same age as Peter Quill, I guess.

It was a fun film. :)

Once again, it is the week before VanCon... or, the week OF VanCon, actually... and I have no idea what I'm getting anyone to sign. I don't really want to spend a fortune on individual headshots, but Creation never sells any general-poster anymore... and I feel like I've kind of taken too much advantage of

raloria's nice printer over the years, and I shouldn't ask her to print me anything last minute anymore - like I usually end up doing every single goddamn year.

Anyway, I have something for Jared and Jensen to sign, but that's about it.

I guess I'll just see what the Con has and make a decision from there. I was thinking this year, I'd either skip getting autographs completely, except for those actors that I've never gotten an autograph from... or I'd get the autographs, but then donate them to the SuperWiki for giveaways to fans who can't afford to travel to a convention. I don't know.

For Jared and Jensen, though, I have to decide if I want them to sign a minimalist poster for On The Head of a Pin (that would cover Misha's autograph too), or if I want to try to get a better version of the picture I had them sign at my first Con (raloria printed me a very nice copy of the picture last year, but I decided to go with something else... but I kept the picture, because I figured I'd be back.)

The benefit of the OTHOAP poster is that it covers Jared, Jensen, AND Misha... the drawback is that it's been rolled up for nearly 2 years and that thing is not going to lie flat for easy signing any time soon. Also, part of me didn't want to get it signed, because I love that poster and I don't want people to scribble their names on it (yes, I know I'm ridiculous.)

Blahhhhhhhhhhhhh.... this is what happens when you've been to Cons for 4 years already and have mostly everyone's signature...

In other news, I have to remember to buy a new notebook for this year. I will once again be attempting to meticulously record everything!

In other OTHER news... friends have already started arriving in town for the Con! Yay! I've had fun the past two days spending time with a friend from Singapore..., and I know missyjack is in town now, but I still haven't had a chance to catch up with her yet. But hopefully I will soon! :)

ETA: I've just been informed that autographs are no longer included with Gold tickets, except for Jared, Jensen, Misha, and Mark. So, I don't know why Gold tickets are $700. If Creation wasn't ripping us off before, they are now.

Anyway, so I guess my only decision now is whether to get the OTHOAP poster signed, or to get the other print signed and find something else for Misha to sign. (In both scenarios, I'll also have to find something for Mark to sign.) Although it'd be fun to get Osric and Lauren Tom's autographs, I'm actually completely and utterly broke at the moment, as well as unemployed - so that won't be happening. I really shouldn't even be going to the Con at all, quite frankly... but it'll be nice to have fond memories when I'm living in my car.

ETAA: Okay, I looked it up myself, and we're also getting Tahmoh, Osric, and Adam Rose... still, a rip off for the ticket price, but WHATEVER. I'll spend $15 and get headshots for those guys (hopefully Creation has good ones.)

I have a ticket! Yay!

I bought a gold ticket, for more than I wanted to pay for a gold ticket, but whatever. I'm sure if I had waited, I could have gotten one for really cheap right before the convention when everyone who is still trying to sell at full price starts getting super desperate to make at least SOME money back... but, as per usual, I got anxious about not having a ticket, because I really want to go! So, yeah... ticket, yay!

I think this is the last year that I will be going on a gold ticket. Actually, this might be the last year that I'll go period. We'll see. I'm getting pretty bored with life, so changes might be afoot. You can only skirt the poverty line in the most expensive city in the country for so long before you start thinking "maybe I should make some changes..." It might be time to skirt the poverty line in a less expensive city, for instance.

Anyway, this will be my fifth convention and my fourth time on a gold ticket... and that's an amazing run for anyone. So, if I'm still in Vancouver next year, I'll probably either skip the con entirely, or just go with GA or preferred tickets.

As usual, I'll be writing reports for everyone who cares to read them! I'll try to make them marvelous and go out with a bang. ;)